The Oxford History of the Biblical World

Best single work covering biblical history. Perfect example of intellectual value based on academic monograph. Another Oxford classic.

Archaeology, for much of the past few centuries, has set out to 'prove' the Bible. More recently the pendulum has swung the other way, in which some scholars have attempted to 'disprove' the Bible. Much archaeology and historical research is still biased, but fortunately it has become scholarly practice to at least admit one's biases as a prelude to making assertions and posing theories. Also, a greater objectivity in many... Read Full Review

As a student of Syro-Palestinian Archaeology, this book has become one of my most used reference. Each chapter is written by archaeologists and biblical historians that are renowned for their work. It covers the Biblical lands from their early beginnings, into the Bronze and Iron Ages, and ends with the Roman Period. The most attention is paid to the Hebrew Bible sections, specifically Bronze and Iron Age. I found the references... Read Full Review

As a textbook on introductory biblical studies or as a personal resource, this volume is a winner. With its maps, diagrams, photographs and insightful writing, this volume is indispensable for those who want to understand where biblical-historical research is going these days. The Bible did not develop in a vacuum, and this fine volume will offer the necessary insights for understanding those forces and situations that... Read Full Review

If I ever had to teach a course in Biblical history, this would be the required text. I would also assign Coogan's excellent "The Oxford Companion to the Bible" (B. Metzger & M. Coogan, eds.; Oxford UP: 1993) as supplemental reading. While "The Oxford Companion" is a one volume encyclopedia of general historical and theological Biblical topics, the "Oxford History" affords the most detailed and systematic (and illustrated)... Read Full Review